Bend, gang problems? (Madras, Jefferson: crime, house, unemployment rate)

[coloradoboundboy]

Been doing alot of reading on Bend today and see that some people mention gang trouble in bend. Is this true? Also any additional imformation on Bend would be very helpful. ANYTHING at all that some one should know before considering a move there.

THANKS ALL! ALL you people ROCK for answering these questions

[Steve Pickering]

Why would people mention it if it wasn't true?

[kapetrich]

Gang's in Bend?

What's your definition of a 'gang'. Kids who like to hit mail boxes and vandalize or the organized drug variety?

To say Bend has no gangs would be misleading due to ones definition of what a 'gang' is. To say Bend has a gang problem or that gangs are even on the radar would also be misleading.

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Bend is on some top lists as safest cities in the country. I don't have any on hand, but I'm sure someone on here can direct you to them.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

Why would people mention it if it wasn't true?

Yes. Yes they would. People give out miss information all the time. Not just in small town synopsis's.

[karlsch]

Originally Posted by kapetrich

Gang's in Bend?
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Bend is on some top lists as safest cities in the country. I don't have any on hand, but I'm sure someone on here can direct you to them.

http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Bend-Oregon.html

[coloradoboundboy]

Thanks again kap. Just making sure i don't have to worry about being mugged or car broken into. I talked to a realtor earlier today and she said she doesn't lock her car or house. Not sure if she was being biaest or not, that's why I posted.

[delta07]

There seems to be a rise in petty crime in Central Oregon, but I wouldn't say this is gang activity. Do I lock my house and car...sure, when I remember! Crime can and will happen when the economy is at its worst, which for Bend and the rest of Oregon, seems to be the case.

There also seems to be more street kids that when I moved here 2 years ago. I'm sure this is another tragedy of our current unemployment rate. However, I feel very safe in Bend. I, as a woman, am not worried about walking around town alone late at night, etc. The only place I've ever felt safer was when I lived in a cabin in the middle of the Colorado Rockies. Of course, that had its risks as well.

[NW Crow]

There is probably gang activity in all big cities, most medium sized cities and a fair number of smaller cities and towns. The amount and visibility may vary but it is widespread.

Not all drug trafficking falls under gangs or the traditional definition of gangs but they go pretty hand and hand and I don't feel a need to separate them. Here is a page from the Dept of Justice about drug trafficking in Oregon, including the Bend area. http://www.justice.gov/ndic/pubs23/23915/markets.htm
They clearly state that organized crime runs that show as it does most places. That probably isn't all they do. They will certainly defend that money-making operation from others and most probably look for other money making opportunities. Whether they are into public status and havoc-making will vary. For some that is a big thing, for others it is bad business and career threatening.

This site http://www.nwgangs.com/25164.html (broken link) is fairly comprehensive about Northwest gang activity but there is probably more and in more places than you can find or have time to write about. Madras and Jefferson County to the north of Bend are mentioned but I can't really imagine that gangs aren't pretty deep in Bend too.

Check the local papers and google around if you want to research the local situation more and make your own guess at the size of the problem(s) there and relative to other places. There was a big meth bust there in the last week or two involving recent arrivals from California I believe. But check around enough and you will find similar stories of drug dealing / gang activity most places. Some papers though will play each and every story big on the front page while some barely mention them or not at all unless they are really unusual or public spectacles, so it is hard to tell the relative size of the problems between communities solely from media sources. In some places the knowledge about gang activity and willingness to recognize it in casual conversations is more widespread than others.